Wilshire Pro (White)

[brianh]

Oh well, apparently the $199 deal was only for one day...

 

Click here

[Ryan0594]

I really love the look of these guitars, they look so cool, but not too common (like Strats, Teles, 355s). Just adds a bit of character when a band/performer is using rarer equipment.

[RSDx]

Wow....$199 ..... is the Alpine White really that unpopular of a color, or is there something "different" about it compared to the other finishes? Cheap laminated body wood??? Just wondering.... looks like a killer deal - that being my lady love might just kill me if I bought another guitar at the moment, even at that price :)

[animalfarm]

I really love the look of these guitars, they look so cool, but not too common

(like Strats, Teles, 355s). Just adds a bit of character when a band/performer

is using rarer equipment.

 

Thanks, brain, errrr....BRIAN!

Gotta SERIOUSLY look at this one. SET NECK, TOO! Been "Gassing" for another

Git/Project Git, and I HAVE noticed that the WHITE colors DO seem to be

the ones going on "Special Sales" in several Models.

Downside - I READ "Premium DIE-CAST Tuners". Does that mean what I think

it means? The BAD ones, like a Special II?

 

$199 for a Wilshire? Hmmmmmmmm. Already Thinking about TUNG OIL (heh, heh...).

Maybe, Maybe not - gotta hold one and play it first.

 

[LongMan]

Wow....$199 ..... is the Alpine White really that unpopular of a color, or is there something "different" about it compared to the other finishes?

I guess not. Here the white one is even more expensive than the other colors, app. $380 (incl. taxes):

http://www.thomann.de/de/epiphone_wilshire_ltd_white.htm

[midiman56]

I am THIS CLOSE (thumb and finger almost touching) to picking this one up myself:

 

 

The ones we have at the store are the models with the two push/pull coil splitters on the volume knobs. This is a cool little guitar!

 

Jim

[RaSTuS]

I already had these on my MF Wish List, they are great guitars for the price IMHO, though being in oz, I have to buy a 'Used' one to qualify for shipping.

[jonnyg]

Downside - I READ "Premium DIE-CAST Tuners". Does that mean what I think

it means? The BAD ones, like a Special II?

Says the same for the worn 66 series and mine have given no problems.

[brianh]

Downside - I READ "Premium DIE-CAST Tuners". Does that mean what I think

it means? The BAD ones, like a Special II?

No, that means real Schaller knock-offs, not the pressed sheet metal tuners on the Jrs and Special IIs.

 

But it's too late, they've already gone back up to $349.

[animalfarm]

No, that means real Schaller knock-offs, not the pressed

sheet metal tuners on the Jrs and Special IIs.

 

But it's too late, they've already gone back up to $349.

 

#1 - TUNERS: I can live with the Schaller knock-offs. I have a set on

my Jay Turser LP. I will eventually upgrade, but as of the last Year, no noticeable

problems at all. If only EPI would realize that these are far superior tuners than

the "Cheesy Gear Assembly covered with aluminum Foil" ones they are currently placing

on the "Entry Level" Specials and Juniors....

 

#2 - GONE GUITARS: Typical. I've been putting $$$ aside for just such an occasion as a

SALE on something Good. I told the "little Lady" I was going for it, she had apparantly

planned on using it to replace Tiles in one of the bathrooms (just did that in SAME bathroom

2 years ago). HUH???? 'Scuse Me, THAT is my "Music Money". I explained to her that a Bathroom

is simply a place to get cleaned up, AND a place to "Sit Down" and let USED FOOD drop out of

your *ss...

And WHY is New Tile suddenly "no Good" after only 2 years???????? "Oh, it's the COLOR - just doesn't

match my Toothbrush anymore".

 

AHHHHRGH! I MISSED THE SALE!!!!!!!!!

[midiman56]

I took the dive on that burst! I'll grab it when I go in tomorrow ... asked my tech to set it up and throw a new set of strings on it for me.

 

Don't need it ... probably shouldn't have bought it ... but just had to have it! You guys know how it is ... right?

 

Jim

[brianh]

Don't need it ... probably shouldn't have bought it ... but just had to have it! You guys know how it is ... right?

All too well...congrats on the new Willy...

[midiman56]

Thanks, Brian! Brought her home tonight ... but with working both jobs I won't get too much of a chance to really ring her out until Sunday evening. I'll post some thoughts and a few pics then.

 

What a fun little guitar this is though ...

 

Jim

[RaSTuS]

Thanks, Brian! Brought her home tonight ... but with working both jobs I won't get too much of a chance to really ring her out until Sunday evening. I'll post some thoughts and a few pics then.

 

What a fun little guitar this is though ...

 

Jim

HNGD Jim, looking forward to the review and pics.

[DennisMiller]

Jim - I tried to send you a message, but it says you can't receive any more. I looked at a Wilshire Pro today, but as Guitar Center usually is, it was almost too loud to hear myself. Sine you seem to have har yours for a while now, I'm very interested in hearing your impression of the guitar. Has it held together well? Are the humbuckers smooth or more hot to the point that they are better for distortion? Does the coil splitting really produce any real useful tones?

 

Would love to hear your opinion of it.

 

Thanks,

Dennis

[Supersonic]

Did everyone see the new Wilshire models they are coming out with?

[DennisMiller]

Not sure I understand the benefit of the new models. I'm looking at a white Pro model with the coil tapping. It's not like I need another guitar, in fact I should probably get rid of some, but something so different and versatile might be interesting. I'd love to know what people think of them.

[RaSTuS]

Did everyone see the new Wilshire models they are coming out with?

Droooool, I love anything with a bigsby style trem, I rarely, if ever use them, but they are cool factor plus for me, especially in the looks department. One can always add push/pulls for coil tapping, so that's not an issue regarding the W-Pro vs W-66 in my books.

[midiman56]

Jim - I tried to send you a message, but it says you can't receive any more. I looked at a Wilshire Pro today, but as Guitar Center usually is, it was almost too loud to hear myself. Sine you seem to have har yours for a while now, I'm very interested in hearing your impression of the guitar. Has it held together well? Are the humbuckers smooth or more hot to the point that they are better for distortion? Does the coil splitting really produce any real useful tones?

 

Would love to hear your opinion of it.

 

Thanks,

Dennis

 

Hey, Dennis ... I guess I let my inbox get a little ... full! It's all cleared out now.

 

I think I talked about my Wilshire Pro experience in another thread, but sometimes they're easy to miss. I did indeed buy that guitar and bring her home. It didn't last, unfortunately. After about three days, I just knew that I was never going to bond with her. Funny thing is, not unlike breaking up with a really nice girl you just know you will never be interested in, it was a real case of, "It's not you ... it's me!"

 

The guitar itself is fine. Well made, nice to look at, sounded way better than a guitar that inexpensive has a right to ... all the makings of a really successful purchase. The thing just didn't fit me! I'm a big guy ... 6'5" and that Wilshire Pro is a small guitar ... especially the body. I just had a hard time figuring out a comfortable way to hold and play it. The other "real" issue I had with it was the pickup switch. It is on the lower horn of the guitar and, again, because of the size of the instrument, I kept hitting the damn thing and switching to the bridge pup accidentally whenever I played it. Just one of those things, I guess ... if I'd kept her, she would have gotten less and less playing time. Life (and money) is too short to keep a guitar that is not going to see any action. So ... back she went!

 

I really did want to like that guitar. I felt pretty badly about not being happier with it. Fortunately I was able to make myself feel better by picking up a new '56 Goldtop and a used Black Beauty 3 to take her place! I would recommend the Wilshire Pro to anyone ... as long as it felt comfortable to you. Nice little guitar!

 

Jim

[DennisMiller]

I'm a big guy ... 6'5" and that Wilshire Pro is a small guitar ... especially the body. I just had a hard time figuring out a comfortable way to hold and play it.

Thanks Jim - I'm 6'7" so I understand your issue with it. I feel like some electrics are a toothpick in my hands... SG is that way for me. The good news is, I just play as a hobby and I play sitting down 90% of the time, so to a large extent, that's a great equalizer.

 

My immediate question otherwise, is where it would fit in. I have 2 Strats, one American with Delta Tone pickups, very vintage tone, and the other a hardtail with ceramic pickups, pretty "out front" and aggressive. I have a Telecaster, an Epi LP Jr with P90's, a Dot for the sake of humbuckers and a Gibson LP Studio Satin I might sell because honestly, I really like the Dot better.

 

I'm wondering if the Wilshire would fit in that mix to supply something different. OR, instead of the Pro model, would the mini humbuckers do something different? Which set is a smoother sound, good for rhythm, jazz sounding?

[midiman56]

Thanks Jim - I'm 6'7" so I understand your issue with it. I feel like some electrics are a toothpick in my hands... SG is that way for me. The good news is, I just play as a hobby and I play sitting down 90% of the time, so to a large extent, that's a great equalizer.

 

My immediate question otherwise, is where it would fit in. I have 2 Strats, one American with Delta Tone pickups, very vintage tone, and the other a hardtail with ceramic pickups, pretty "out front" and aggressive. I have a Telecaster, an Epi LP Jr with P90's, a Dot for the sake of humbuckers and a Gibson LP Studio Satin I might sell because honestly, I really like the Dot better.

 

I'm wondering if the Wilshire would fit in that mix to supply something different. OR, instead of the Pro model, would the mini humbuckers do something different? Which set is a smoother sound, good for rhythm, jazz sounding?

 

Wow! Another BIG dude!!!

 

Here's where I'll go out on a limb ... and I'm sure there will be lot's of responses on how they are different ... but to me, an Epiphone Wilshire is pretty much a G400 with a different look. The Pro version with the standard 'buckers even more so. Thin body, sightly "neck heavy" ... very close to my ears and hands in most respects. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, nor am I saying that the Wilshires are bad guitars ... but if you weren't thrilled with one, I can't see where you'd be thrilled with the other. They would pretty much occupy the same space in your guitar collection.

 

Now, the worn version with the mini's might sound different enough to your ears to be worth looking in to. Mini humbuckers have a decidedly bright sound ... not like a Fender, mind you, but snappy and clear. I have them in my Epi Firebird VII and I love 'em. They almost remind me of a Rickenbacker "jangle". I haven't played the worn Wilshire, so I can't say how they sound from personal experience ... and I would still have the same issue with the switch position. Anyone else that owns one of these should chime in!

 

Jim

[DennisMiller]

Thanks... I may have to play a few to see if it fits in, but it doesn't sound like something with definite different tones to what I already have.

[jonnyg]

The good news is, I just play as a hobby and I play sitting down 90% of the time, so to a large extent, that's a great equalizer.

I have the '66 reissue so I can't comment on the merits/sound of the Pro model (although, having tried one, I did prefer the neck on my model which was much slimmer). However, I must say the switch placement problem that MIDI had while playing standing up is twice as bad if you play sitting down. Eventually I'm either going to rout the switch cavity a little so I can turn the switch round (so it operates left to right rather than up and down) or fit a rotary selecter. That's really the only problem I've had though.